24
The Hong Kong Police Force had enlisted for active service and twenty more were ready at the end of the year to proceed to England.
The following members of this Force were killed while on active service during the year :-—
P.C. A 25 Herbert George Wakeford, ... K.R.R. killed on 17. 5.16.
A 52 Arthur Allchurch, A 27 Ernest George Painting, A 114 Peter Boyd Gardner, ...
... 1. 7.16. 1. 7.16.
""
4.12.16.
9.9 ...R.F.C.
The District Watchmen Force, numbering 100, to which the Government contributes $2,000 per annum, was well supported by the Chinese during the year. These watchmen patrol the streets in the Chinese quarter of the City. They are placed on police beats and are supervised by the European police on section patrol.
The total number of persons committed to Victoria Gaol was 4,169 as compared with 4,179 in 1915. Of these 1,588 were committed for criminal offences, against 1,260 in 1915. Of committals for non-criminal offences, there were 18 less under the Harbour Ordinance, and 136 more for hawking without a licence, than in 1915.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 638, the average for 1915 being 594, and the highest previous average being 726 in 1904. The percentage of prisoners to population, according to the daily average of the former and the estimated number of the latter, was 0.12. The average percentage for the last ten years was 0.12. Owing, however, to the large floating population, which is constantly moving between the Colony and Canton, the percentage of crime to population does not convey an accurate idea of the comparative criminality of the residents of the Colony. The Gaol has accommodation for 707 prisoners.
The prison discipline was satisfactory, the average of punishments per prisoner being 1.34 as compared with 1.41 in 1915 and 1.34 in 1914.
Long sentence prisoners serving two years and upwards are taught useful trades, including printing, book-binding, tin-smithing, mat-making, tailoring, carpentering, etc. The profit on the work done was $68,209 as against $63,515 in 1915. A sum of $4,060 was received and credited to Government for non-Government work against $3,082 in 1915.
IX.—VITAL STATISTICS. (a.) POPULATION.
The civil population of the Colony, according to the Census taken on May 20th, 1911, was 456,739, of whom 104,287 reside in the New Territories and in New Kowloon; at the Census taken in 1906 it was 201,967 exclusive of the New Territories and of New Kowloon;